First Place: Craig Partin, Garner North Carolina Peanut Growers Association PB&J Contest Thursday, October 13, 2016 Spicy Peanut Butter and Banana Breakfast Braid Braid Ingredients: 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 8 oz. pkg. refrigerated crescent dinner rolls 1 large banana, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/4 cup chopped peanuts 1 egg, beaten Glaze Ingredients: 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/4 medium banana, mashed Pinch of cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons milk Directions: 1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together peanut butter, brown sugar and cayenne pepper until well mixed. 2. Unroll crescent dough into a rectangle onto cookie sheet. Press dough perforations to seal dough. 3. Spread the peanut butter mixture down the center of the dough about 3 1/2 inches in width. Layer the banana slices over the peanut butter layer. 4. Cut the long sides of the dough rectangle into 1-inch diagonal strips. Fold the strips alternately over the peanut butter filling. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the top of the braided dough and press in lightly. Brush beaten egg over top and sides of dough. 5. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool. 6. In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle glaze over top of braid. Servings: 8
Second Place: Yvonne Payton-Davis, Knightdale Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast with Nutty Pig Candy FOR THE PIG CANDY: ½ POUND THICK CUT BACON, chopped ¼ CUP BROWN SUGAR ¼ CUP LIGHTLY CHOPPED PEANUTS 1 TABLESPOON MAPLE SYRUP FOR THE FRENCH TOAST: ½ CUP CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER 1/2 CUP BROWN SUGAR 12 SLICES HONEY WHEAT BREAD, CRUSTS REMOVED IF DESIRED 4 EGGS 1 CUP MILK 2 TABLESPOONS SUGAR 1/2 TEASPOON CINNAMON ¼ TEASPOON NUTMEG 1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT 1. Prepare pig candy. In a skillet over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until well done and crispy. Drain excess fat. Remove from heat and add next three ingredients. Stir until well combined. Set aside. 2. Make French toast. Using a mixer, combine peanut butter and brown sugar until smooth. Spread 1 tablespoon of the mixture on one side of 6 slices of the bread. Top with the remaining bread to make a sandwich and pinch the edges of bread together to seal. (save extra peanut butter/brown sugar mixture for later) 3. In a shallow dish, combine eggs and next 5 ingredients. Whisk until well combined. 4. Dip each sandwich in the egg mixture and fry in a hot skillet sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook over medium heat until lightly browned on both sides. About 5 minutes per side. Place on a platter. 5. In a small bowl combine leftover peanut butter mixture with 2 tablespoons syrup to make a drizzle. 6. To serve, cut each sandwich diagonally, drizzle with peanut butter syrup drizzle and sprinkle with pig candy.
Third Place: Lisa Raschke, Raleigh Peanut Butter and Jelly Pop Tarts 1 package refrigerator pie crust (2 pie crusts) 1 tablespoon flour 2/3 cup peanut butter 1 cup jam or preserves (divided)* 1 egg 1 tsp cream 1 tablespoon sugar ½ cup powdered sugar ¼ cup chopped salted peanuts *Note: I used cherry, but feel free to use whatever flavor you like. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle the flour over your work surface and roll out each of the pie crusts into 2 even rectangles. Slice each rectangle into 8 smaller rectangles, making them as even as you can. Spread 1 ½ tablespoons of peanut butter on one rectangle, leaving a small border (~¼ inch). Spread 1 tablespoon of jam on top of the peanut butter. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and cream together to make an egg wash. Using your finger or pastry brush, spread egg wash around the edges of another unfilled rectangle. Place this rectangle on top of the filled rectangle and crimp the edges with a fork. Repeat this process for the remaining pop tarts. Placed the finished pop tarts on a lined baking sheet and brush with the remaining egg wash. Sprinkle the tablespoon of sugar on top of the egg wash. Bake the pop tarts for 10-12 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Let the pop tarts cool. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining jam and powdered sugar. Spread the glaze evenly over the cooled pop tart and sprinkle on the chopped peanuts. Serve and enjoy! Note: These can be made ahead of time by freezing the pop tart before it is baked. Then you can just pull them out of the freezer and bake them to order.
Honorable Mention: Jonathan Edwards, Wilson Peanut Butter and Banana Waffles Dry Ingredients ¾ cup all-purpose white flour ¾ cup all-purpose wheat flour ½ cup corn starch ½ tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt Combine all dry ingredients into large mixing bowl and sift. Add 4 Tbsp. melted butter and cut with pastry cutter until even crumb consistency is achieved. Wet Ingredients 3 eggs, separated, whites whipped to soft peaks 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature 1 cup milk, room temperature 1 cup peanut butter 1 large banana, mashed Combine buttermilk and milk. Set aside to reach room temperature. Separate eggs: in one bowl, whisk together ½ cup peanut butter, egg yolks, maple syrup, and vanilla. In another bowl, using an electric mixer on high, whip egg whites until soft peak is achieved. Set aside for later use. Combine the milk mixture with the peanut butter, egg yolk, maple syrup and vanilla mixture. Add above mixture to your dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer until batter is even. There will be small clumps. This is desired as long as the clumps are not excessively large and are equal in size. Add the peanut butter and banana. Mix until evenly incorporated. Gently fold egg whites into batter. Egg whites will still be visible in the batter. DO NOT OVER MIX. Now fold ½ cup peanut butter into batter so it appears swirled. Let batter rest for 5 minutes. Peanut butter Maple Whipped Cream 1 cup heavy whipping cream ¼ cup pure maple syrup ¼ cup Peanut Butter In a mixing bowl, combine heavy cream, maple syrup and peanut butter. Whip with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Cooking instructions Heat waffle iron according to manufacturing instructions, usually 350 degrees
Pour waffle batter per manufacturer instructions, about ¼ cup onto bottom plate of waffle iron. Place fried chicken strips in batter on bottom of waffle iron. Close waffle iron and let sit for 6 minutes. Serve warm with a dollop of Peanut Butter Maple Whipped Cream. Top with chopped peanuts and sliced bananas.